We’ve learnt this bushfire lesson – now let’s help them thrive

Teacher Elyce Gresty (r) welcome students back for the first day of school in bushfire-affected Cobargo, south-east NSW, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (AAP Image/Sean Davey)

This summer’s bushfire crisis may be stirring a range of emotions in those who lived through the 2009 Black Saturday fires in Victoria.

Some will be reminded of the trauma they endured that February; the loved ones they’ve lost, the homes destroyed, and the fear and anxiety they experienced.

Others will recognise how far they and their communities have come in their recovery.

The Black Saturday blazes have been an issue on the Beyond Blue online forums, where people are referencing the 2009 disaster as they support each other through this summer’s fires.

I want to remind those who lived through Black Saturday that their suffering was not in vain — we’ve learnt so much from their experience. The mental health sector is already applying many of those lessons to the response to this season’s ongoing crisis, including offering dedicated guidance relating to children.

At Beyond Blue we are keenly aware of the pivotal role schools and early learning services will play in the recovery process.

Research shows quite clearly that close friends and family, social networks and community group membership are important influences on bushfire recovery.

Keeping school communities strong and informed in times of disaster is important, not only for a child’s social and emotional development but also their academic outcomes.

Research after Victoria’s Black Saturday disaster revealed reduced progress in reading and mathematics four years after the fires. Research into the aftermath of many natural disasters indicates some children will benefit from skilled therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Children can be especially vulnerable to the emotional impact of disasters, whether they’ve experienced it directly or indirectly.

This summer they may have lost a home, been holidaying in an evacuation zone or feel shaken by what they’ve seen in the media. The bushfires have taken a heavy toll on Australia’s wildlife and we know children are especially sensitive to the deaths of animals.

In difficult times such as these, children look to the adults around them for information, support and protection. Indeed, parents, carers and families will be the main source of support for many young people — but so are the children’s learning environments.

Schools and early learning services are so much a part of a child’s life they’re recognised as a critical platform for the recovery of entire communities. They know their communities well and have strong relationships with families and young people.

They provide social networks and extra-curricular activities that give children a feeling of belonging and joy — both of which can help protect their mental health on the long road to recovery.

Importantly, schools and early learning services offer a source of familiarity and routine that give children a sense of stability in times of uncertainty.

As well, there are practical steps teachers, staff and principals can take to support young people to cope with any distress they may be feeling after the fires.

They might, for example, take time to reassure children their feelings are common and natural in the circumstances, that our brave firefighters are working hard to keep everyone safe, and share news stories that highlight hope and recovery.

Equipping teachers and educators with the information they need to support the students and children in their care helps them feel supported as well.

This has benefits for their own emotional recovery.

Since November 2018, Beyond Blue — with delivery partners Early Childhood Australia and Headspace — has been supporting mental health in schools and early learning services across Australia through its Be You initiative.

In response to the bushfire crisis this summer and with funding from the commonwealth, we are promoting bushfire-specific mental health information for teachers and educators so they know what to do and what signs to look out for in their students after the immediate bushfire impact and in the short term and long term.

We also will work with schools and early learning services in bushfire-affected areas to determine what resources they need, planning evidence-based trauma training for schoolteachers and other staff, arranging advice sessions for parents and carers, and deploying liaison officers to affected regions to help educators and families access and navigate the local mental health supports available to them.

There are clear strategies available to empower teachers, principals, early childhood educators and staff so they can promote resilience and recovery in children and young people.

In a nation where bushfires are a fact of life, it’s vital we pull together and do all we can to support them all.

Julia Gillard is chairwoman of the board of Beyond Blue and the 27th prime minister of Australia.